


Ficlet collection

by claudine



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Apocalypse, Bathing/Washing, Boarding School, Canon Era, Ear-cleaning, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Post-Episode: s05e13, Reincarnation, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-27 01:16:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/972615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claudine/pseuds/claudine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of prompt ficlets. Relationships and tropes as tagged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ficlet collection

**Author's Note:**

> Gen and non-M/A pairings in the first half, M/A in the second half.

**Merlin and Gwen in a bar (for i_canz_kill_dragon)**

They’re sipping cocktails (shush, they’re delicious) on a particularly warm evening. Work is shit and has always been shit, but Friday evenings with friends are nice. Especially friends that he hasn’t seen much of since Uni.

"So, what are you up to these days, Gwen?" he asks.

She smiles, tells him about the cat she’s adopted. About her volunteer work, and someone she’s seeing.

"I think it’s getting a bit serious," she says. Then she whips out her phone to show him a photo.

He spits his mouthful of cocktail.

"Morgana Pendragon?!"

"What, you know her?"

It’s a really long story full of stupid shite he’d done in the posh Sixth Form he’d attended, and yeah, somehow her pesky brother comes up. Good times.

* * *

**Gwen and Leon and happiness (for thatobsessivefangirl)**

It’s a tiny, fragile thing that they have. Brushes of the hand, lingering looks. Smiles meant just for her. The way that he’d stood behind her, supportive, as she took on her role and responsibilities.

It’s not as if she’s _forgotten_ Arthur. No, not at all. She thinks of Arthur fondly when she runs into a particularly thorny problem in Petitions. Of what he would do and say.

But that yawning hole of grief, of loss, is being filled by something that makes her feel just a bit lighter.

She smiles. Takes a deep breath. On towards to the future.

* * *

**Merlin and Will, skipping class (for kylezy)**

“ _Hey_ —!" there’s a shout behind them, and then the click-clack of the shiny black school shoes all prefects wear.

"Shit, it’s Head Boy Pendragon," Will says, then turns back to give Merlin a slight push. "Run, run for your life!"

"This is a spectacularly bad idea!" Merlin shouts, panting, and then regrets he ever had anything to do with his childhood friend.

"Leg it!" Will says, still snickering under his breath. Oh yeah, sure he can say that, he’s on the running team. Not like Merlin who’s never participated in anything athletic if he could help it.

They make it over the gate—just barely—with Pendragon shouting angrily behind them, too dignified to scrabble up the gate and dirty his uniform. And then it all catches up to him and he begins to laugh with great heaving breaths, staggering and bowling into Will like a drunkard.

"Sweets shop," Will declares, pulling Merlin.

"We’re going to get into _so_ much trouble tomorrow.”

"Yeah? We might have to bribe Pendragon then,” Will says, surprisingly nonchalant.

"With what?"

"Well, you’re just going to have to give him a blowie at recess, of course."

Merlin chokes.

* * *

**Gwen and Sefa meet again (for thatobssessivefangirl)**

She sends letters at first.

" _To Queen Guinevere of Camelot_ ," they start in a neat, careful hand.

There are the usual enquiries of health and of her people, and then later, in bits and pieces, a halting narrative of the letter-writer and her life with the Druids.

She doesn’t ask for anything, and for a moment Gwen wonders at the person who has spent the effort to deliver this and yet makes no requests of her.

The letters always end with a wish for her continued good health, signed with a simple S.

The raven who delivers the letters always waits around, though, so after the first time, Gwen decides to write her back.

Until one day, her mysterious letter-writer comes to Camelot requesting a private audience with her. She’s curious and pleased to accept, and is only a little surprised when it’s Sefa.

"Hello, your majesty," she says, curtsying. Her hair is shockingly short now, fluffing above her shoulders.

Gwen smiles. Magic is slowly making its way back into the land, and this time, they will talk.

* * *

**Lancelot/Merlin, unspoken (for wanderlust48)**

They lie together on the narrow bed, shoulders touching. Merlin had been affectionate, drunk, touchy after a feast, cornering Lancelot and pulling him into a hidden alcove for a messy handjob.

It’s a no-strings affair; Merlin knows better than anyone whose Lancelot’s heart belongs to, but this—this is mere physical desire. Just honest release and a pleasure deep in his bones, with no fear of being discovered if his eyes burn with gold as he comes.

"You should tell Arthur," Lancelot says, his voice cutting the silence in a deep, clear ring.

Merlin startles. “About what?” he asks, smiling.

"Everything."

And that’s the thing Merlin loves and hates about Lancelot. How he can be so _honest_ and true; how it comes so easy to him. Ever the gentleman, ever the knight.

"If not today, then one day," Lancelot says. "I think you would be happier for it."

Even with sweat and come staining his skin, he’s pure-hearted.

* * *

**Merlin/Arthur - how do they spend their last few hours together? (for omnicard)**  
(written before 5.13 aired)

Merlin’s spent much of his life serving, wanting, waiting. They’ve lived countless lifetimes now. Sometimes Arthur is taken from him too early—war or disease conspiring against destiny. Sometimes he doesn’t even meet Arthur, and those are the worst years; the industrialized world is on an ever increasingly fast pace, and living like that without purpose or reason is no life at all.

They sit together, thighs touching, and talk quietly. The world goes on around them. There are no zombies. They’ve just had dinner, made by Arthur (fortunately he’s learned to look after himself—after the first time, he’s never been reborn as any sort of royalty). Pressed at Arthur’s side is their cat (who prefers his company despite the fact that Merlin is his original owner).

He thinks this is how it should be.

The very first time, Arthur died in a battleground of men, his lifeblood leaking into the sun-baked heat of the ground. This time they’ll go together. It’s rather fitting. And to be honest, Merlin is a bit relieved. Being immortal got tiring after the first few hundred years.

* * *

**Arthur, unhappiness (for kylezy)**

When he had been Arthur Pendragon, there were burdens attached to that name. Problems and priorities and planning. An entire kingdom of people he was responsible for.

It didn’t leave much room for maudlin self-pity, not in this undignified way he’s sprawled on his sofa. Waiting for someone he doesn’t even know is still alive.

"It was supposed to be the other way around," he says, tired.

* * *

**Merlin & Arthur, the wonders of modern day plumbing (for kylezy)**

Merlin’s a bit concerned about the water bill.

Arthur has taken to showering once, twice, thrice a day, enjoying the warm spray of a nice shower. He’s just emerged in a cloud of steam, a fluffy pink terrycloth towel wrapped around his waist, looking gleeful.

Merlin’s only human after all, he can’t be blamed if that makes his heart grow three sizes.

"C’mere, you’re as wrinkly as a prune," he says, pulling Arthur into a hug. "You smell nice." _Of my shower gel_ , he doesn’t say.

"Mmm, showers are amazing," Arthur says, voice muffled into his neck.

* * *

**Arthur/Merlin, brothers, Merlin is growing into his looks and Arthur is possessive. (for nu_breed)**  
( **warnings:** incest, underage, and dubcon overtones)

"I don’t like the way she looks at you," Arthur spits, all of seventeen years old and angry, in the way teens are.

Merlin flinches like the words are a physical hurt, pushing Arthur’s arms away.

"Why? Now that your _little brother_ is finally getting some attention, you’re mad?” Spiteful now, “Or do you have the hots for her, huh? Jealous that someone else likes me better?”

Arthur lunges, his face red and eyes crazed, and Merlin flinches again, as if afraid to get hit.

"You _idiot_ ,” he says, crowding Merlin against the wall, their bodies pressed against each other, a hot line from shoulders to hips. He mashes his mouth to Merlin’s in a painful clack of teeth and grimaces, then adjusts his head, sucking on his lower lip for a minute before he pulls away.

Merlin looks stunned.

"You’re the one I like, stupid."

* * *

**Arthur/Merlin, fluff that involves ear-cleaning & whining (for melancholypool)**

Arthur is cozy and warm, lying in Merlin’s lap. He’s relaxed, safe, as Merlin grips his cheek with one hand, his fingers hot against it as the other hand holds the long metal tool used for cleaning his ears.

He can imagine Merlin’s look of concentration, eyes focused and maybe his tongue sticking out slightly as he goes about his task.

"I’m putting it in," Merlin says, his breath warm against Arthur’s face. Arthur grins at the innuendo.

"Don’t laugh," he warns, "Wouldn’t want to hurt you, Sire."

Arthur doesn’t reply. Talking or moving while the ear-picker is inside his ear is dangerous.

He feels like a horse though, when Merlin pets his cheek after he’s done, smiling down at him. A well-loved horse.


End file.
